The Crew
by cobra
Summary: A new group of kids is guarding a hellmouth, with there mentor of course, this is their story.


Okay, first off I have to tell you what this fan fiction is about.  
It's a spin-off to Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Only don't expect a  
slayer, this is going to be pretty much a new group of young people  
fighting. No supernatural strength, no mystical mumbojumbo (least  
not until I cross this fan fiction series with the BTVS series, it  
could be a little while before Buffy, and or Willow rear there  
heads.) The characters will be developing as you read, so don't  
expect to know them right from the start. I know I have way to many  
WIPs. But this idea would not, leave me the HELL ALONE!. Anyway, on  
with the fic.

P.S: This is something you might see in place of the Shield on FX.  
Rated Mature.

The Crew.

A fast moving Mustang Cobra R slid into the parking lot of Mariana  
High School. Dodging the many students walking from there own  
vehicles the young man behind the wheel slammed on the breaks  
skidding to a stop before carefully turning into an empty parking  
space. He opened the door after killing the powerful engine and  
stepped out. His dark leather jacket highlighting the white T-shirt  
underneath.

"Just like everywhere else." The young man said to himself with a  
sigh as he pulled a backpack over his right shoulder and closed the  
door of his car. Quickly locking it with the remote. He noticed the  
angry stares from some of the students, he internally shrugged as he  
continued his way to the entrance of his new home away from home.  
Into his new hell.

"Whoa, Jess, check the new kid out?" A young attractive brunette  
said with a smile as she poked her blonde friend's shoulder.

"He's okay I guess." Jessica said with a small smile as she  
continued walking toward the school.

"He's a hottie."

"No he's not. Your just infatuated with the new boys, always have  
been." Jess said with a smile.

"So? There so much mystery, they can be so deep."

"Yeah, like a kiddie pool from the mall."

"Hey, give the guys a little credit, some of them are sensitive,  
like Timmy."

"Um, Timmy's sensitive cause he wants to BE one of the girls."

"Still counts."

"Okay, I concede to your victory." Jess said with a smile as she  
walked through the double doors into the hallways.

"Huh?" Her friend asked with a confused look on her face.

Xander Harris sat at his new desk in the offices of the City of  
Mariana Police Department. He'd just recently been promoted to  
Detective. It wasn't nearly as easy as they made it look on TV. He  
reached up absently and rubbed his eye, well, his glass eye.  
Everyone said it looked real though.

"You Alexander Harris?" An older man asked as he walked up to the  
young mans desk.

"That's me." Xander said as he spun his chair around to get a better  
look at the older man. He quickly smiled and added a sir to his  
answer.

"I'm Tom Higgins, the new Chief of Police."

"I know. Read your file."

"How'd you swing that?" Higgins asked with a slight smile.

"Um, bribery?" Xander guessed which made the police Chief laugh  
slightly.

"I guess I will have to clean up this place. Can I talk to you in my  
office please Detective Harris?"

"Sure, but call me Xander. Everyone does."

"Hey."

"Hi." The young man said with a small smile as he turned around.

"I'm Haley."

"Jace."

"Well, I guess it falls on me to be the welcoming committee." Haley  
said with a half ditzy smile as she touched Jace' shoulder gently.

"Consider me welcomed."

"I just wanted to invite you to the local club tonight, The Black  
Hole. It's very heavy, everyone's gonna be there."

"I guess I'll have to show then."

"Great. Around six?"

"I'll meet you there." Jace said with a lopsided smile as he waved  
bye and turned walking toward his first class at his new school. He  
had gotten half way down the hall when he saw the shoving match. He  
turned and quickly yelled out to Haley who walked back to his side.

"Who's that?"

"Thanks our Quarterback Ray, the other guy is Damion Finch, the most  
known outcast at the school."

"Why is Ray pushin on him?"

"So he can feel like a real man." Jessica said as she walked up  
beside her friend.

"Same as everywhere else." Jace whispered to himself as he nodded to  
the two girls then walked over to the group of people by the locker  
bays.

"What's up guys." Jace said in a normal voice as he stepped up to  
the duo.

"Just giving a little speech. Practicing for the class president  
debate." Ray said in a smart ass tone as he looked out of the corner  
of his eyes at Jace.

"Maybe you should get a more willing audience."

"I think you should mind your own business."

"My goal is to make everything my business." Jace said in a cool  
tone. Ray turned on him quickly, the quarterbacks' friends moving  
just after.

"Your new, I'll let you off this once."

"Gee, thanks."

"Let's go guys.," Ray said with a smile as he looked into Jaces'  
eyes. "Next time I won't let you off."

"Sure."

Ray laughed slightly as he turned, his posse following behind him.

"I didn't need your help."

"I know."

"I didn't want it either." Damion said with a sneer as he turned and  
stalked off.

"Great, what a day." Jace said to himself with a false cheerful  
tone. With a shake of his head he began walking toward his class.

"I've noticed that the missing persons rate in this town is far  
above normal."

"Yeah, that's what made me decide to stay in this little town. See  
if I could help out." Xander said with a sad look on his face.

"How long have you been on the force Harris?"

"About six months. Just long enough for the hazing to be over.  
Although, with the eye and all not many people talked to me at  
first." Xander said his hand involuntarily motioning toward his the  
glass eye.

"I've seen worse." Chief Higgins said with an understanding look on  
his face.

"Me to. How sad is that?" Xander didn't have a smile on his face as  
he spoke. Only a voice filled with seriousness and longing.

"Very.," The chief said with a shake of his head., "What do you  
suspect is going on in this town? Gangs? Cults?"

"Both, sort of anyway. I'm not exactly sure yet but I'm leaning  
toward the cults aspect. But it doesn't match up."

"What do you mean?"

"Not all the kids were outsiders, some were in the popular crowd,  
high self-esteem and higher egos not the type to join cults."

"True, I'd like you to be my eyes and ears on the streets, I'm going  
to move you from days to nights if that's alright."

"Fine by me."

"Start tonight. Shift is going to be long son, we're low on man  
power and even lower on funding."

"I don't need much sleep. I'll take what I can get, anything to pull  
my weight."

"Good man. Go home and get a few hours sleep. Your shift starts at  
seven."

"Sure thing Chief.", Xander said as he stood and turned, he paused  
just before he exited.," Sir?"

"Yes Harris?"

"This town, it's very dangerous at night, wild animal attacks and  
such, you might want to tell your family."

"I'll do that. Thank you."

"Just doing my job." Xander said with a smile and shoulder shrug as  
he turned and walked from the office. The Chief sighed as he looked  
down at his desk, the missing persons files piled high.

"Something is seriously wrong in this town."

Jace walked through the night club with an easy sway, the rhythm of  
the music almost putting the young man in a trance. He saw the two  
girls from school, Haley and Jessica, and with a half smirk he  
walked there way.

"Hey." The young man said in greeting as the music died down and the  
band announced the name of there next song.

"You made it!" Haley said eagerly, Jace smiled at her and nodded.

"What you did earlier, that was pretty cool." Jessica said talking  
about the fiasco with Damion and Ray at the school earlier that day.  
Jace just shrugged it off with a half smile.

"Guys," Haley said with a smile as she pointed toward the  
exit., "Looks like Janine hit the jackpot." Both Jessica and Jace  
looked up at the same time to see a young brunette walk out the exit  
with an older looking young man.

"Janine?" Jace asked carefully. He had a bad feeling.

"Friend of ours from school," Jessica said with a smile as she  
laughed at her friend.," She's a real brain, so that crimps her date  
life."

"And that guy was a total hottie." Haley said with a smile.

"Why'd they go out the side exit." Jace asked with a concerned voice.

"It was probably easier to get out of." Haley said with a shrug.  
Jace shook his head and began walking toward the door the two had  
just disappeared through.

"Hey," Haley yelled as she grabbed Jessica's hand., "Wait up."

Ray watched in anger as Jace and the two girls walked quickly toward  
the side exit. He snarled to himself as he stood and followed them.  
He wasn't going to let the new guy get the pretty girls. This was  
his school.

Jace hit the side door hard, he'd heard the screams even before the  
door had been pushed open. With a loud yell he stood stoic in the  
alley.

"That was Janine!" Haley said with a slightly shaken voice.

"This way." Jace said taking off in a quick run toward the back end  
of the alley. The two girls looked at each other with fearful faces  
before following. The door hadn't closed as Ray ran out, his eyes  
wide as he to had heard the screams. He took off after the trio.  
They might need his help. Jace rounded the corner first, not slowing  
down as he noticed there were two assailants now instead of the one  
Janine had left with. The young man slammed into both assailants in  
a football style tackle. Enough force in the jump to knock all three  
bodies to the hard cement. Jace fell into a tight roll and landed on  
his feet.

"Get the girl outta here." Jace said calmly to Jessica and Haley.  
The two girls nodded quickly, and almost simultaneously as they each  
grabbed Janines' arms.

"What the hell is going on?" Ray asked as he ran onto the scene to  
see Jace standing across from two large older men.

"I think they wanted to rape me.." Janine said in a stammering voice.

"Please, your not our type." One of the men said in a laugh before  
his face changed, ridges replacing the smooth brow.

"What the hell?" Jace asked as he watched in abject horror. Ray took  
an involuntary step back before resolidifying his stance.

"Run." Jace said to the two girls as he jumped forward and slammed a  
right cross into the closest vampire. The larger man' staggered  
back as Jace slammed a front snap kick into it's stomach and gave it  
a quick uppercut to the jaw knocking the assailant on it's back. Ray  
in the meantime had laughed himself at the second monster tackling  
it to the ground and repeating to slam fist into it's deformed face.  
All the while the two vampires laughed. Jace stopped and looked at  
the vampire he had just knocked down in worry. He looked down as Ray  
flew to a stop at his feet. He quickly helped the jock to his feet.

"This doesn't look good."

The three young women ran into the street just in front of the  
police cruiser.

"Help!" Jessica yelled as she ran to the window. Xander Harris  
stepped out of the cruiser quickly.

"What's wrong?" He asked in his old concerned voice.

"Two of my friends, there fighting a couple…… things. In the alley,  
they were trying to… I think rape Janine… You've gotta help them."

"A couple things? Real ugly faces. With Ridges?"

"Yeah, I think so…" Jessica said quickly.

"Get in the car and lock the doors. I'll be back with your friends."  
Xander said as he popped the trunk and grabbed a shotgun before  
running for the alley. The doors locked as he went into the darkness.

"We gotta finish this quick." Jace said in a serious voice as he  
looked around the alley for a weapon. The two vampires just stared  
at them mockingly.

"I don't think we're gonna end anything." Ray said as he spit blood  
from his split lip., "Can't we just talk about this guys?"

"Sure, how about we talk about killing you." One of the vampires  
said with a sick smile.

"Not my type of conversations. I prefer talking about furry  
bunnies." Ray said with an almost serious tone. While Ray kept the  
vampire duo busy Jace spotted a broken wooden crate at the alley  
wall. Making up his mind he dove for the piece of wood. The vampires  
spotted his movement and instantly ran to finish the young man off.  
Jace kipped up quickly the makeshift stake slamming into the  
vampires chest through it's own momentum. Dust flew over and around  
Jace as he looked toward Ray with an unbelieving look in his eyes.  
The other vampire jumped toward Ray in anger and fear. A gunshot  
echoed loudly as the vampire flew sideways into the alley wall.

"No feeding after midnight." Xander said in a humorous tone., "Wait,  
that was Gremlins…" He pumped the shotgun again and fired keeping  
the vampire pinned against the wall. Jace didn't wait as the third  
shell hit the vampire he slammed his makeshift stake into the dead  
heart of the monster.

"Are the girls okay?" Jace asked as he noticed the man's blue  
uniform.

"There fine."

"What the hell were those things?" Ray asked in a shocked voice.

"It's better you just forget it. There's more were these two came  
from."

"Vampires." Jace said in a low voice.

"Yeah, just forget what happened here tonight. There's a lot less  
pain if you pretend the world in hunky dory."

"I can't do that." Jace said evenly.

"Me either. If there's more of these things I wanna help."

"Look kids. Just go home and sleep it off. You don't want in this  
war." Xander said as he turned and began to walk from the alley,  
Jace and Ray looked at each other before they walked quickly after  
him.

"Damn." They hear Xander curse and the two quickly join him beside  
his squad car. Two windows shattered and the car empty.

"Where would they take them?" Jace asked as he looked around the  
ground beside the squad car.

"How the hell should I know. A cemetery probably."

"There were four Vamps."  
"What are you psychic now?" Ray asked as he and Xander turned to  
look at him.

"No, we're just lucky it rained hard last night. They left tracks."  
Jace said as he stepped off the pavement and kneeled down in the  
grass. "See, they almost had to drag the girls., that's the long  
indentions, then the shallow are the four vamps."

"Let's get going then." Ray said as watched Jace stand up.

"What's your cell number?" Jace asked Xander as he pulled his own  
phone from his pocket. Xander quickly told the young man., "Okay,  
you two go and get supplies, I don't know what all hurts vampires…"

"I do."

"Good, get as much as you can. I'm going to track them, I'll call  
you when I get there."

"Here." Xander said as he tossed the twelve gauge and a box of  
shells to Jace., "You know how to use that?"

"Yeah. Hurry."

"We'll be there before you know it." Xander said with a sigh as he  
sat in the drivers seat. Ray frowned then got in the passenger seat.

"Be careful." Xander said not liking the decision to leave the young  
man.

"I will." Jace said as he turned and walked slowly away from the  
car. Xander sighed again and put the car in drive.

"Where we going?"

"The Catholic church a few blocks down, then by my place. Shouldn't  
take fifteen minutes."

"I hope that's not to long."

"So do I."

Jace slid through the short tree's around the graveyard. He had half  
lied about being able to track, in these conditions anyone could do  
it. He quietly switched his small penlight off and walked slowly  
into the graveyard. The tracks stopped at a large mausoleum. He  
looked at the lettering above him.

"Wilson." He said before moving slowly back from the mausoleum and  
pulled his phone from his pocket. He dialed Xander's number from  
memory.

"The Wilson mausoleum on the east side of Dunkard Cemetery." He  
nodded his head slowly as he listened.

"I'll wait for you. Hurry." He closed the phone and kneeled behind a  
large gravestone, his eyes not leaving the stone building.

"Did you hear?"

Jace fell lower as voices came from across the cemetery.

"Hear what?" Another voice said without a care in the world.

"The grabbed a few hotties tonight. Rumor is we're going to get a  
few vampirific playmates."

"Oh yeah, just what I've been missing." The second large vampire  
said as he opened the door to the mausoleum and walked in. Jace  
fumed as both monsters disappeared.

"You be waiting when I dust your ass." The young man whispered to  
himself. He grabbed his cell phone again.

"I'm going in." He closed the phone before Xander uttered a protest.  
He held the shotgun at ready and filled his pockets with shells.

"Damn this is stupid." Jace said to himself as he opened the door  
carefully and walked in.

"Son of a bitch." Xander uttered to himself as he slammed the last  
of his equipment in the trunk., "Jace is going in."

"He's freaking crazy." Ray said loudly as he jumped into the  
passenger seat.

"Not crazy. Selfless, he's a damned White Knight."

"A what?"

"A White Knight, he doesn't care about himself as long as it helps  
someone else. I hate those."

"Why? That's good right?" Ray asked with a curious tone as the car  
slid around a curve its blue lights flashing.

"Oh shut up." Xander said as he put both hands on the wheel.

Jace walked down the long corridor with a tight look on his face.  
The shotgun on his shoulder, the barrel pointed toward the ground.  
He called himself stupid a million times in his mind as he reached  
the end and looked into a large room.

"Let's have some fun before we turn them. Get a little warm meat."  
One of the vampires from earlier said with a sadistic smile. The  
three girls were tied together in the middle of the room. All were  
struggling.

"Looks like I'm Sundance. Never a bad time to die." Jace  
said quoting something he barely remembered. It was all false  
bravado. The sweat pouring down his face proved that. He took a deep  
breath before taking action. He moved as fast and fluidly as he  
could. Unleashing a shot to the closest vampires head turning it to  
dust. He worked the action on the pump twelve gauge as fast as he  
could. He had to get to the girls, that was his first mission, and  
then get them out. He would worry about that later, hopefully after  
Xander and Ray arrived. He reached the girls fairly quickly, his  
ears ringing from the shotgun blasts as he untied Jessica.

"Get the others loose and run like hell!" Jace yelled racking the  
action on more time letting the last bullet fly., "Shit."

The Police Cruiser slid to a stop in from of the mausoleum grass  
flying from under its tires. Xander was out of the car before its  
weight settled the trunk open and a shotgun in his hands.

"Grab all the holy water and crosses you can." Xander said as he ran  
to the mausoleum door and threw it open. He heard the gunfire and  
screaming immediately., "Let's go!" Xander yelled as Ray reached his  
side, the two men took off down the corridor toward the action. They  
reached the mouth quickly, and surveyed the action. They watched as  
Jace swung the shotgun like a baseball bat keeping the vampires at  
bay.

"Toss the large balloon into the air." Xander said as he put the  
twelve gauge to his shoulder. Ray did as asked tossing the balloon  
filled with holy water into the air. Xander fired as it reached its  
peak, it was like acid feel from the sky as the vampires all grabbed  
some part of there body in complete agony.

"Come on! We gotta get out of here!" Xander screamed as Ray threw  
balloon after balloon onto the vampires, covering there escape. Jace  
grabbed Jessica's hand and all three girls plus there young hero ran  
out of the room toward the exit. As they reached the exit Jace  
breathed a sigh of relief, everyone else waited till they were safe  
in the cruiser and moving.

"Everyone okay?" Xander asked as he looked at the four people in his  
rearview mirror.

"As okay as we can be, considering." Jace said with a smile as he  
leaned his head back., "What a rush."

Next Day.

The group of young people stood in Xander's home.

"We've talked it over, all of us, we want to help you. Help this  
town." Jace said his voice strong.

"You don't know what your getting into." Xander said with a sigh.  
But he wasn't going to stop someone from helping. He swore he would  
never do that, not since it was done to him.

"We know the risks, that's enough." Ray said speaking up as he  
stepped beside Jace.

"Okay, be here at ten. Time for a real patrol." Xander said as he  
turned and walked toward his kitchen. The group of young people  
turned and left the home. All of them slightly scared. As the door  
closed behind them Xander picked up his cordless phone and dialed an  
almost forgotten number.

Rupert Giles. The voice sounded tired, and refined. Xander  
couldn't help but smile.

"Hey G-Man. I'm back in the game."

END CHAPTER ONE

THE CREW  
Author: Cobra  
Disclaimer: I own nothing that is belonged by Mutant Enemy or Joss  
Whedon.

The Crew.  
Episode Two.  
Ass Kickin.

Jace, Jessica, Haley, and Ray walk down the crowded halls of Mariana  
High School. Jace is smiling as he talks.

"Everyone ready for our first outing?" The young man ask, talking  
about there first real patrol.

"Um, about that," Haley says with an embarrassed smile., "I can't go  
tonight guys, I agreed to go to a party with Christina a week ago."

"Okay, I guess the number is three." Jace said no seeming to care.

"I'm with you." Jessica said a slightly nervous smile on her face.

"Ray?"

"Yeah, just have to get a few things settled. I'll meet you at  
Xander's."

"Alright. Eight o'clock. Have fun." Jace said with sarcasm as he  
walked away from the group.

"He's entirely to happy about this." Ray said with a sigh as he  
opened his locker.

"I know, it's weird." Haley agreed as she grabbed a book of her own.

"Nah, he's just found something to do. I got a feeling his trying to  
prove himself." Jessica said as she waited for her friends to get  
there classwork. Thinking about that night the entire time.

Damion walked the halls of the school quickly, not wanting to get  
into any trouble. He held his head down and his shoulders slumped. He  
turned quickly and raised a fist as someone touched his shoulder.

"Hey," Jace said with a half smile as he stepped back.," I come in  
peace."

"What do you want?" Damion asked as he turned and started walking  
again. Jace shook his head and jogged slightly to catch up.

"Where's Miss Snidlys' class?", Jace asked as he looked at his  
schedule, "I didn't really pay attention to the tour guide yesterday."

"That's were I'm goin, tag along if ya want."

"Thanks, I'm Jace."

"Damion." That was the last of the conversation.

Jace knocked on Xander's door at Eight O'Clock on the dot. The door  
opened quickly and Xander looked at him with humorous eyes.

"I said Ten."

"The early hunter gets the prey." Jace said with a shrug as he walked  
past Xander into the apartment.

"Where's everyone else?" Xander asked as he closed the door and  
walked in front of Jace leading him to the kitchen table. The table  
was covered in supplies. Holy Water, Crosses, and of course, the non  
religious weapons.

"Jess will be here soon, Ray might be late, Haley isn't coming,  
something about a party promise."

"K, Well, since you're here you might as well help me get the stuff  
ready. Did your dad teach you much about weapons?"

"Dad taught me a little about a lot. But the people under his command  
taught me a lot, about a little."

"So that's a yes?" Xander asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah.," Jace said as he reached on the table and picked up a  
Berretta nine millimeter., "I don't think we should let the others  
use these until we teach them. Just to be safe."

"Yeah, I figure Ray will be good with a crossbow and sword. The girls  
will probably stick to crosses and holy water for now."

"Whatever works." Jace said as he put the gun back on the table. He  
looked at Xander for a moment before he spoke. "You sure you want to  
do this?"

"No, but you are. And I'm damn sure not letting you do it alone."

The party was in full swing as Haley and her friend Michelle walked  
into the frat house.

"We don't know many people here Hals, so we need to be at least a  
little careful." Michelle said as a naked and screaming young man ran  
by her.

"Now, where's the fun in that?", Haley asked as her eyes followed an  
older young man across the room.," Time for me to mingle." She walked  
away from Michelle over exaggerating her hip movement as she dodged  
the man jumping and falling bodies. She reached the young man with a  
half smile on her lips., "I'm Haley."

"Josh. Can I get you a drink?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Xander, Jace, Ray, and Jessica walked through the cemetery slowly.  
The lesser experienced members constantly looking around them. Xander  
just walked and whistled a jaunty tune. Ray finally sighed to himself  
with and shook his head.

"This is boring. We haven't seen a damn thing."

"Don't jinx us." Xander said with a slight smile. He turned back  
forward as the group continued to walk.

"As much as I hate to admit it," Jace started with a frown., "Ray's  
right. I think tonight is dead. Maybe there still realing from last  
night.

"Isn't that a good thing? I hope we don't see anymore of those  
things." Jessica said in a hopeful tone.

"Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean there not there."  
Xander said in a mock mythical tone. Jace chuckled to himself,  
thinking that his dad had always said the same thing. In different  
words of course. Ray took one last look around the cemetery then came  
to a stop.

"I'm calling it a night. Figure I'll go by the party. Who's with me?"

"I'm going to keep patrolling." Jace said without hesitation.

"Jess?" Ray asked with a half smile.

"I'm staying with the guys with the guns." Jessica said throwing a  
sarcastic smile back his way.

"Fine. Suit yourself. I'm gonna go party." Ray said with a disgusted  
snort and turned walking away from the group.

"I'll follow him." Jace said as he checked the action on his pistol  
and walked slowly after Ray.

"Guess your stuck with me." Xander said to Jessica as he checked his  
Mossberg shotgun for what had to be the thousandth time., "Don't  
worry, we're heading back in. Just one more sweep through the  
cemetery."

"Sounds good to me."

Jace watched from the shadows as Ray walked into the house of the  
party. The music blared as Jace looked around himself then sighed to  
himself.

"Might as well make a sweep of the party." He said to himself as he  
put the Beretta into a holster clipped to the inside of the back of  
his belt. With a smooth gait the young man walked from the shadows  
and through the front door. He winced slightly as the music seemed to  
deafen him for a moment, then he was back to his usual calm self. He  
walked from the foyer into the living room. Shocked to see Haley  
almost passed out on the couch and a young jock looking down her  
shirt with a smile. He saw the young girls head shake side to side,  
that was all he needed. With a speed and strength not one drunken  
form could believe he seemed to almost float to the guys side  
slamming a right hand into the side of his face. The guy fell from  
the couch to the floor hard, his head smacking the corner of a table.  
He was out cold.

"Come on Hales, time to go home." Jace said with a sigh as he bent  
down to pick her up.

"Hey!" A voice yelled behind him and he stood and turned, leaving  
Haley on the couch., "I'm gonna break your neck." A large young man  
with no neck said as his buddies gathered behind him.

"Just back off. I'm only looking out for a friend." Jace said in a  
warning tone.

"Leave it alone Derek." Ray said making his presence known as he  
leaned on the door jam from the kitchen.

"Did you see what he did to Larry?" The large young man known as  
Derek asked in an angry tone.

"Yeah, but he'll do worse to you. Just let it go, fight another day  
and all that."

"You got my back though right?" Derek asked in confusion.

"No." Ray said after thinking for a short moment., "Not on this."

"Then screw you Ray. I don't need your damn help." Derek said in an  
angry tone as he turned back to face Jace. He was rewarded by a hard  
right to the jaw.

The police cruiser drove slowly down the lane toward the party.

"We'll just pick up Jace on the way to my apartment." Xander said as  
they pulled up outside. He had just put the car in park as a rather  
large man flew out the living room window in a crash of breaking  
glass. Just seconds later Jace and Ray walked from the house. Both  
young men with minor bruises. Jace held an unconscious Haley in his  
arms.

"What the hell happened?" Xander asked as he ran up to the trio of  
people.

"Ray will tell you all about it. I'm gonna go for a walk, I'll be at  
your apartment a little later." Jace said as he reached the cruiser  
and put Haley in the backseat. He turned and walked from the scene  
quickly.

"Okay, I'll ask again.", Xander said his tone getting short., "What  
the HELL happened?"

Jace stalked angrily between the trees beside the graveyard. He knew  
he shouldn't have let the big jock get to him. But it more than  
slightly disgusted him that people could be so….. Evil. He stopped  
quickly. He could have sworn he had heard voices.

"Just leave me alone." A male voice said from the cemetery. Jace  
shook his head and walked calmly out of the trees to see Damion and a  
very pale and oddly dressed woman talking.

"I think he doesn't like you."

"Oh, you're a new friend of my Kitten." The woman said to Jace who  
looked completely confused.

"Can't be me lady, I'm a dog person."

"I wonder what he'll think when he finds your body on his door step?"  
The vampiress said to herself with a large almost childlike smile.  
Jace again walked forward positioning himself between Damion and the  
wacko vampire.

"Good luck with that." Jace said with a smile as he quickly pulled  
his gun. Not fast enough. Before he could aim the vampire was on him.  
The gun flew out of his hands as she hit his forearm with a flat hand  
strike. Jace tried to ignore the pain as he swung a left hook that  
the woman ducked with ease. Quickly he brought up his right leg,  
intent on kicking the woman in the stomach. His eyes widened as she  
caught his foot and spun tossing him like he was nothing more than a  
toy. The young man flew through the air quickly, finally slamming his  
back into a tomb. Jace grunted in pain and slid down the concrete  
wall leaving a small trail of blood to the point of his impact.

"What are you doing?" Damion asked the vampire with fear in his voice.

"What I've been told to do. Miss Edith really didn't like kittens  
friend."

"She's really gonna hate me now." Jace said as he kicked the vampire  
in the back sending her to the ground in a roll. The vampire was up  
just as Jace moved in to press his attack. She turned easily blocking  
the roundhouse kick that was aimed for her head. She punched forward  
hitting Jace in the chest sending him flying back. The young man  
landing on his feet the momentum sending him down into a backwards  
roll. As he landed his back slapped against a tree. He quickly jumped  
above him breaking off a good sized branch. He ran forward as fast as  
he could bringing the branch down from above him trying for the  
heart. He couldn't stop the move as the vampire sidestepped and  
grabbed his wrist bringing it in a full half circle and slamming the  
broken end of the branch into the side of the Jace's stomach. She let  
the young man go and Jace took a few steps back before falling to his  
knees.

"Damn." He muttered to himself as Drusilla moved in for the kill. The  
retorts of a pistol were heard as Drusilla screamed in pain her body  
moving involuntarily, she quickly turned and saw a shaken and very  
terrified Damion holding the gun. The female vampire master smiled  
brightly then turned and ran further into the cemetery. Damion ran  
and slid next to Jace as the latter pulled the stake from his stomach.

"Shit," Damion said with a shaky voice., "We have to get you to a  
hospital."

"Yeah, one thing though."

"What?" Damion asked as he helped Jace stand and the two began to  
walk from the cemetery.

"We can't mention vampires. And as far as anyone knows, it was a  
really really big guy that did this to me." Jace grunted out as they  
walked toward the hospital. Damion laughed slightly.

"Sure thing."

"Cool."

Tom Higgins paced in the waiting room, Damion sat close to the  
windows, occasionally peering into the night, but mostly watching the  
worried father.

"He saved my life." Damion said out of the blue not really knowing  
why.

"I know." Tom said not really knowing what to say. Both men were  
saved from the silence as the Doctor walked in.

"Is he going to be okay?" Tom asked with a worried tone.

"Your son is going to be fine Chief. He has a few bruised ribs and  
more than a few stitches. But in a week or so he'll be as good as  
new."

"Thank god." Tom said with a sigh., "When can I bring him home?"

"I was suggesting tomorrow, but he's damn adamant about leaving now.  
I don't see any harm in checking him out. Just give him a few days of  
bed rest." The Doctor said with a humor filled voice. Tom Higgins  
nodded quickly his worry dying some, but not vanishing.

"I'll be sure to do that Doc.", Tom said still thinking his lucky  
stars. The police chief then turned to Damion and slightly  
smiled., "You need a ride home?"

"I'd appreciate it." Damion said as he stood and put his black  
leather coat on. Tom nodded more to himself than to the young man as  
they both walked from the waiting room. Jace sat in a wheel chair at  
the front desk a sour look on his face.

"I hate being babied." Jace said with a serious tone as his dad  
signed the papers., "And worse, I absolutely hate getting my ass  
handed to me."

"Could have been worse." His father said with a serious voice, humor  
apparent on his face.

"Says you. Can we get outta here now?"

"Sure, let's get you guys home. We'll worry about a report tomorrow."

"Sounds good dad. Ready to go Damion?"

"Sure, I hate hospitals." The young man in almost all black said with  
a slight smile.

"Ditto." Jace answered as an orderly began to push him toward the  
exit., "I can walk you know."

"We wheel you in, we wheel you out." The female orderly said with a  
humor full smile and a slight laugh.

"Wonderful."

END CHAPTER TWO


End file.
